Electrical switch



May 26, 1925.

C. C. SCHREIL ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed 'Jan. 29. 1924 Patented May 26, 1925.

.To all it may concern! 4 structure.

UNITED STATES 1,539,279 PATENT OFFICE.

' cnaams scam, or onrcaeo, ILmnoIs.

' '1 announcer, swrrcn.

- -Appllation filed January 29, 1924; Serial No. 689,821.

Be it known that I, CHARLES Illinois, have invented Certain new and use-' ful Improvements in an Electrical Switch, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention'relates .to a switch of the dual or compound type-{that is to say, one in which two circuits. are controlled by the mechanism contained within a sin 1e unitary The switch shown an described herein is particularly adapted for mounting in the end of a steering post onan automotive vehicle. Onecircuit controlled by the switch may include the horn and the other circuit may preferably be the dimmers for the headlights, or a parking lamp, whichever is desired. While these special uses are mentioned it is, of course, understood that the switch may be used to control other circuits within its range 'of adaptability. i

It is the principal object of my invention, therefore, to provide a compound or dual switch which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture and. assemble and one gen, erally efficient in its operation.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the attached drawing in which: a Figure 1 is a sectional viewthrough the complete switch;

Figure 2 is an interior view of the cap as it is removed from the body portion;

Figure 3 is a top view of the body portion which fits with the cap shown in Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4/4 of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a bottom View of the body portion; while Figure -6. is 'a complete assembled view of the entire switch.

I Referring now to the details, wherein like numbers refer to corresponding parts in the various views, -1 is the body of the switch, preferably made of good insulating material. The body has a centrally located contact 4 having a stem extending through the body to the bottom part, which is preferably cut away slightly as indicated at 17. so that the conductor carried under the-head of the screw 12 may be drawn down into the depression and thus securely held in posi C. Sommm, a citizen of the United States, residing at' tion. Carried by the body on either side of the central contact are two contact members 13, screws 14 bein used to make connections on their rear en ,the same as on the central contact 4. The body 1 has a flange 20 on its upper end and the contacts 13 preferably extend. slightly above this flange face for the purpose of making'contact with the metallic plate 10 carried by the cap 3. As shown in Fig. 2, this plate is held in positron by a screw 11, which is also used to hold a cli 8' in position. The clip 8, as shown in ig. 1, engages or extends over the flange 20, thereby 'assistin in holding the body and cap together. l liowever, the cap 3 isadapted to rotate with respect to the body 1, the amount of rotation being limited by the pin 19 which is-positioned in a notchcut in the flange 20.

As is indicatedin Fig. '1, the flange 20 is ada ted to fit within a recess in the bottom 7 through the cap 3. A spring 6 is used to hold the cap 2 and the contact member 5 in retracted position or so that the parts 4 and 5 do not normally make contact. Movably positioned around the head of the member 5 is a circuit closing member 7, which projects to the exterior ofthe body 1 and is adapted to lie in the channel 16. This prolongation of the member 7, which lies in the side channel 16, while. assisting the clip 8 in holding the body and cap together, it is also used to'make contact with the metal part of the steering post, thereby completing aground connection when the push button 2 is operated.

It will thus be seen that one circuit is controlledby the rotation of the member 3 as heretoforeexplained, the plate 10 making contact with the members 13 in one position, and when turned to its other position, one of the members 13 moves on to the insulation part 18 (Fig. 2). The other circuit is completed through the contacts 4 and 5 and the member7.

In assembly, the contacts 4 and 13 are assembled in the body 1; the plate 10 and clip 8, together with the push button 2, the contact member 5 and the circuit completing member 7 are assembled to the cap 3; and then the flange 20 of the body 1 is slipped under the clip 8 and pushed forward so that the member 7 slides into the side channel on the body 1, thereby providing a switch which can be taken apart by a slight pull between the body and the cap, no screw drivers or other tools being required.

\Vhile I have shown one form of my in: vention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the details without departing from the spirit of my inventionand the scope of th appcndedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a body portion having a plurality of contacts, a cap fitting over the ody and means for operatively fastening the cap and body together but permitting relative rotation therebetween, a metallic plate carried by the cap and adapted in one position of the cap to connect a pair of said contacts together, a push button movably carried by the cap, a contact member operated by the push button to engage at least one of said plurality of contacts, and a circuit completing member extending from said contact member to the outer periphery of the b0 y.

2. In a device of the class described, a body portion having a plurality of contacts, a cap fitting over the body and means for operatively fastening the cap and body together but permittin relative rotation therebetween, a metallic plate carried by the-cap and adapted in one position of the cap to connect a pair of said contacts together, a push button seated within a recess of the cap, a contact member attached to the button and extending through the ca into proximity with at least one of said plurality of oontacts,-a spring holding the button and contact member in retracted position and a circuit completing member movably engaging said contact member and immovably positioned on the outer periphery of said body.

3. In a device of the class described, a

body portion having a flange and a central contact and a contact disposed on both sides thereof, a cap fitting over the body and having a clip for engaging said flange but permitting relative rotation of the body and cap, a metallic plate carried by the cap and adapted in one position of the cap to connect said contacts disposed on the sides of the body, a push button carried by the cap, a contact member operated by the button to engage said central contact in .the body, and a circuit completing member movably engaging the'contact member but immovably engaging the exterior surface of the body portion.

cap fitting over the body and having a clip for engaging said flangebut permitting relative rotation of the body and cap, a.metallic plate carried. by the cap and adapted in one position to'connect said pair of ontacts together, -a push button carried 'by he cap, a contact member adapted to be moved by the cap into engagement with the central contact in the bod and a circuit completing member mova ly engaging said contact member and extending to and lying in the channel in the body.

.5. In a device of the class described, a body portion carrying contacts for two different circuits and extending through the body, said body having a slde channel, a cap rotatably attached to the body and having a metallic plate adapted to complete one of said circuits through a pair of said contacts, a push button carried by the cap and carrying a contact member adapted when the button is o erated to engage at least one contact in t e other circuit, and a circuit closing member movably connected with the push button contact member and extending to and lying in the side channel of the body for the purpose described.

6. In a device of the class described, a body portion carrying contacts for two different circuits and extending through the body, said body having a. side channel and a flange, a cap havin a recess to receive said flange on the body a clip carried by the cap for engaging the flange to assist in holding the body and flange together yet permitting rotary movement between the two, a metallic plate carried by the ca for completing a circuit through a pair 0 said lot) and extending to and lying in the side channel of the body for the purpose described. 7. In a device of the class described, a body portion carrying contacts for two different circuits and extending through the body, said body having a side channel and a flange, a cap having a recess to receive said flan e on the bod a clip carried by the cap or engaging t e flange to assist in holding the body and flange together yet permitting rotar movement between the two, a metallic pl ate carried by the cap for completing a circuit through a pair of said contacts, a pin in the cap and a notch in the flange to receive said pin to limit the movement of the cap on the body, said cap having a second recess, a push button seated in said second recess, a contact memberhaw ing a head positioned in the first recess and extending through the cap into engagement with the button, a spring in the second reccss holding the button in outward position, said contact member adapted, when the button is pushed, to engage at least one contact in the other circuit, and a circuit closing member movably held under the head of 'said contact member and extending to and lying in said side channel on the body for the purpose described.

8. In a device of the class described, a compound switch having a body portion carrying contacts for two independent circuits, a cap rotatably mounted on the body and having means for completing one of said circuits through a pair of contacts on the body, a push button carried by the cap and having a contact member adapted to engage at least one contact in the other of said circuits, and a circuit completing member movably connected to the push button contact member and extending to and along the outer surface of the body of the switch as and for the purpose described.

9. In a device of the class described, a body portion having contacts for a plurality of circuits, a cap fitting over the body and means for operatively fastening the cap and body together but permitting relative rotation therebetween, a metallic member carried by the cap and adapted in one position of the cap to complete one of said circuits, a push button movably carried by the cap, a contact member operatedby the push butcuit completing member in the last mentioned circuit extending to the outer periphery of said body.

10. In a device of the class described, a body portion carrying contacts for two different circuits and extending through the body, said body having 'a side channel, a cap rotatably attached to the body and having a metallic member adapted to complete one of said circuits through a pair of said contacts, a push button carried by the cap and carrying a contact member adapted when the button is operated to engage at least one contact in the other circuit and a circuit closing member for the last mentioned circuit extending to and lying in the side channel of the body for the purpose described. 4

11. In a device of the class described, a compound switch having a body portion carrying contacts for two different circuits, a cap rotatably mounted on the body and havcuits through at least one contact on the body, a push button carried by the cap and having a contact member adapted to engage at least one contact in the other of said circuits, and a circuit completing member arranged in movable relationship to said cap and having a part extending to and along the outer surface of the body of the switch forcompleting said push button controlled circuit. v r

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

CHARLES C. SCHREIL. 

